This naval court-martial took place aboard a ship in the salty sea air in June 1702. Everyone knew that most of the charges against Dampier were difficult to prove. The murder allegation was extremely flimsy, and the claim that he was an incompetent navigator was laughable. When it came to wind, currents, and weather, Dampier was a world-class expert and one of the best navigators alive. (p. 23.) In 1886, New York State appointed a three-person commission to find a better method. They first

“Many people say that what makes a great scientist is intellect. But that is wrong. What makes a great scientist is character.” —Albert Einstein. Who cares whether scientists are good people? Surely only discoveries matter! But after reading this book, I could understand the quotation. Science is a collection of discoveries and facts, and more discoveries and research are needed to make it more complete and ideal. Many corrupt practices happened along the way and were not emphasized at the

This is a book by popular science writer Sam Kean, who makes difficult scientific subjects accessible and entertaining. Just seeing his name makes a reader expect that the book will not be boring. In the 18th and 19th centuries, a scientific revolution centered in Western Europe brought visible achievements, but scientists also planted a spirit of challenge and optimism in people who had resigned themselves to the limitations, poverty, and discomfort of earlier times. Naturally, the public came

I wonder whether the future brought by AI, which is entering our everyday lives, will be bleak for people. I expected hidden, dark stories behind scientific progress that has made human life more convenient. In the era when the slave trade was flourishing, enslaved people were not only exploited for labor but also used as experimental subjects in cruel ways. They were routinely made to collect specimens, injected with wax and mercury, and used for dissections. Sloane, who built a

Sam Kean; Science’s Cruel History; Haenamu Publishing House; book sponsorship; history of science; recommended basic science books; popular science; recommended science books. Sam Kean, Science’s Cruel History. “A mad scientist does not become mad because he lacks logic, reason, or scientific insight. Rather, it happens when he tries to pursue science ‘too thoroughly,’ goes too far, and disregards his own humanity.” Perhaps this final sentence of the prologue sums up the whole book. Across 12

A treasure of a book, full of subjects to think about and discuss. Hana Books is once again a publisher I trust. We had recently been having deep conversations about science’s value-neutral nature, so every chapter resonated with me. These are traces of painful times that cannot be explained or accepted without calling them a “history of cruelty”; this is not simply a look back at science’s history or past. The series of events about Kaczynski especially hurt me. They were cruel “acts” merely

Scientific development has had a major influence on humanity’s evolution and history. Science has brought us many benefits, but at times it has also caused humanity’s destruction. As many historical events show, science and technology have been the starting point for numerous incidents. This book shows that science is not used only for good. Through its stories, it probes scientists’ cruelty and psychology, which we might never have imagined, and lets us face science’s two sides through the

The subtitle, “A history of science and medicine stained with plunder, murder, and torture,” sounds frightening. Yet human history truly hides a devastating and cruel past. It feels as if stories from the world of science and experiments in our history—scientific experiments achieved by erasing and brutally destroying people’s inborn rights—are now being revealed to everyone. I can introduce the book by saying that its material is unusual and rarely found in other books or on television. The

A history of scientific cruelty more horrifying than a horror movie has arrived. Everything in the book is a true story based on historical fact, and it contains shocking material. “The Icepick Surgeon” is by science writer Sam Kean. Its original title is “The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science.” It deals with crimes committed in the name of science, telling stories of scientific crimes across the world, from

“Many people say that what makes a great scientist is intellect. But that is wrong. What makes a great scientist is character.” —Albert Einstein. Science has advanced to save humanity, provide a treasury of knowledge, awaken truths about life, and make things convenient. Its development has certainly been driven by good intentions and purposes, but the process is questionable when the means are not justified by the ends. The book points out that the civilization and scientific age we live in